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( m I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Q G. J. PRENTIGE.

' CIGAR MOLD. No. 365,631.

Patented June 28, 188 7.

A NN 'Wh'ieooea N. PETERS.

'(ModelJ v v 2 Sheets-Sheena Gr J.-PRENTICE.

CIGAR MOLD.

No. 365,631. Patented June 28, 1887!.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE .I. ranntricn, on NEW YORK, N. Y.

LCIGAR-MOLD.

SPECIFICATION" formingp art of Letters Patent No. 365,631, dated June as, 1887. Application filed June 7, 1886. Serial No. 204,313. ModelJ employ wooden molds, into which are placed pressure to shape the bunches.

the bunches or bodies of the cigars. These molds are each of the proper shape for the exterior of the bunch, and when such molds have been filled they are subjected to powerful The bunches are in a more or less moist condition, and in consequence of being firmly held the tobacco cannot expand, and the cigar does not smoke easily. Besides this, the cigar body or bunch is difficult to remove from the mold after being pressed. To facilitate this removal, it is usual to allow the tobacco to project beyond the mold at the tuck or larger end of the cigar, so that such tobacco may be grasped in the fingers to lift the bunch out of the mold. This entails a loss of tobacco, as well as causing the larger end or tuck of the cigar to be too compact and hard to-light or to smoke freely.

My improvements are for overcoming the practical difficulties heretofore mentioned. I make use of two-part cigar-molds and top and bottom plates divided up into sections, and guide-bars passing through transverse undercut grooves for connecting the moldsections and for allowing such sections to be partially separated, and connections between the respective mold-sections, and pins that 7 pass across through the guide-bars.

My improvements are especially available with wooden molds having sections fastened to backing bars or plates; but such molds may be of any desired or ordinary construction, except in the particulars'hereinafter named.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a section transversely of the molds at the end portions of a range of molds. Fig. 2 is a plan View of the same portions of the range of molds. Fig. 3 is an elevation with the mold-sections partially extended. Fig. at is a similar view of the bottom mold-sections fully extended, the top molds being removed. Fig. 5 is an end view of the molds. Fig. 6 is a cross-section of three molds with the bunches in the same and the molds partially opened for the tobacco to expand; and Fig. 7 is a similar view with the upper molds separated between one mold and the next.

The base-plate A has upon it the lower molds, B, into which the bunches are introduced, as usual, and G are the upper molds adapted to pass into the lower molds and press the bunches into the same, and these molds G are connected to the top plate or follower, D. These molds, thus far described, are well known, and my improvement is adapted to any of the molds of this general class. I groove the top and bottom plates, A D, of the molds for the reception of the dovetailed or undercut guide-bars G and H, and I separate the molds and plates transversely of the plates, but longitudinally through the center of each cigar-mold, as shown at 2 2, in order that the cigar-molds may be opened to any desired extent by sliding the sections along upon the. guidebars GH and away from each other.

It is advantageous to limit the extent to which the molds may be opened by moving the sections away from one another. WVith this object in view I make use, by preference, of chains 3 and 4, there being sufficient looseness or slack to allow of the proper lateral movement to each section when the end sections are grasped and drawn apart. The ends of these chains are permanently fastened to the end sections of the top and base plates by staples or other similar devices, and the intermediate sections of the molds are also fastened by staples to the chains, there being the necnected by the chains 3 and the lower molds connected by-the chains 4; but these chains 4 are longer than the chains 3, so that there is more slack of chain between the respective staples or fasteuings. WVhen the molds are made use of, the top range of molds, O, and the guide-bar Gr are separated by lifting them off from the bottom molds. The pins 8 usually remain in place within the end moldsection and plate, A, and the mold-sections are pushed closely together and the pin 9 inserted in the hole 12 to hold the bottom mold-sections together. The bunches are now placed into the molds in the ordinary manner, and the upper C by applying the wrappers.

mold-sections are put into place, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the pin 9 in the holes 12 in G and H, and the bunches pressed into shape, after which the pin 9 is withdrawn and the mold-sections are drawn apart by hand endwise to the extent that the chains 3 and the pin 9 placed in the holes 11, as shown in Fig. 3, will permit. In this condition the molds are allowed to remain the proper length of time until the bunches have swelled and are in the proper condition for receiving the wrappers, and as they swell they lift the upper molds, O, and guide-bar G, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, and then the upper mold-sections and guide-bar are lifted off, exposing the bunches, a ud these lower sections are still farther drawn apart by hand to the extent that the chains 4 will permit, as shown in Fig. 4, and they can be held in this position by inserting the pin 9 into the hole 10, provided for it in the bottom guide-bar, I-I, so as to retain the molds in their separated positions. These cigar-bunches are now entirely free and simply lie in the molds, and can be lifted out with facility and finished I11 consequence of separating the mold-sections the bunches expand and the cigars smoke much more freely, because the bunches swell into the additional space allowed for them when the molds are opened, and, besides this, the tuck portions of the cigars are more open and loose than in the ordinary molded cigars, and the bunches are not marred by any creases or folds due to the action of the molds, because such creases are obliterated by the swelling, and the cigars when completed are much more perfect and smoke much more freely than those made in the ordinary molds.

In Fig. 6 I have shown three molds sectiona ally and as drawn apart, and with the bunches therein in their expanded condition. In Fig. 7 I have shown the lower molds, B, as separated longitudinally through the'centcr of the mold and the upper molds as separated from each other to allow them to rise and open as the bunches expand. It is to be understood that it is not necessary to have the molds channeled on the lines 15, as shown in the drawings, Figs. 1, 3, and 4, as they may be made, as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, without any such channels or saw-cuts.

I claim as my invention 1. The two-part cigar-molds divided longitudinally into sections, in combination with guide-bars passing through the transverse undercut grooves for connecting the mold-sections and for allowing such sections to be partially separated, the connections between the respective mold-sections, and the pins passing across through the guide-bars, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with the molds 13 C and the top and bottom plates, A D, divided up into sections, and the top and bottom bars, G H, that hold the sections and upon which the sections can be moved, of connections, substantial] y as described, attached atthc ends of each section, there being sufficient slack or looseness to allow the mold-sections to be separated to the desired extent, substantial] y as set forth.

Signed by me this 5th day of June, A. D. 1886.

GEORGE J. PRENIICE.

lVitnesscs:

Gno. T. PINOKNEY, \VILLIAM G. Morr. 

